From homelessness to the mound:

Our resident Richie throws first pitch at Orioles game

Our resident Richie was invited by our partners at the Charles and Margery Barancik Foundation to throw out the first pitch at the local Baltimore Orioles game.

For Richie, this experience was about much more than baseball; it was about his triumph over homelessness and gratitude for his stability and new hobby, poetry.

Click Here to Read the ABC 7 news story

The Healing Mirror follows our formerly homeless residents as they explore their stories through poetry. Guided by renowned poet Cedric Hameed, participants engage in a series of workshops that become a powerful mirror for reflection, healing, and self-expression.

Directed by Colin Reid with Waevy Films, Bubba Henson, and Megan Howell; a film by Second Heart Homes.

SAVE THE DATE

The screening will be on April 17th from 2- 3:30 PM.

At Ringling College / Morganroth Auditorium at the Larry Thompson Academic Center

2363 Bradenton Road, Sarasota, FL 34234

Tickets are $20 unless you use our 25% off discount code HealingSFF25

Click Here To Get Your Tickets

Special thank you to our Sponsors who made this possible

The Sammy Fund

"When the magnificence of something shocks me into focus, that's beauty"

Join us for a special kick-off party/reception at Arts & Central to celebrate our documentary being featured in the Sarasota Film Festival and unveil new menus showcasing poetry written by our residents and artwork by our volunteer, Kelly Kearns.

There will also be a poetry reading by our residents. Thank you to Arts & Central for featuring our residents’ poetry on the back of their menus throughout the month of April.

April 12th from 5–6 PM

611 Central Ave, Sarasota, FL 34236

For most of us, making a bed is routine.

For a woman coming off the streets after experiencing homelessness and mental illness, it means something entirely different.



It means safety.

It means rest.

It means the beginning of stability.

As we prepare two new duplex homes for 12 women opening on April 14th, we are inviting a small group of supporters to take part in a meaningful tradition: ceremonially preparing each woman’s bed before she moves in.

Each bed represents the first place she will sleep without fear. The first place she can truly rest. The first place she can begin to dream again.

Twelve sponsorship opportunities are available.

Each team of two supporters contributes $5,000 and personally prepares one bed together before the homes open.

You choose who joins you.

Someone you want to share a powerful moment with.

All materials are provided. You simply make the gift and take part in preparing a place where a woman will begin again.

This is a shared experience rather than a sponsorship of a specific woman. Because we protect residents’ privacy, participants may not meet the woman whose bed they prepare, but they will know they helped create the place where her new life begins

Join us in making her bed and helping change her life.

If you would like to reserve one of the 12 beds, please contact Megan at megan@secondhearthomes.org

Are you interested in attending our upcoming open house on April 13th from 10 AM to 6 PM?

Come tour our newly completed duplexes, which will soon be home to 12 women transitioning out of homelessness.

There will be a ribbon-cutting at 11:30 AM by the Sarasota Chamber of Commerce.

RSVP for more information.

SAVE THE DATE

Volunteers Needed – No Experience Required – Remote Options Available

We need your help to make this year's Giving Challenge a success.

Every donation up to $100 is matched during the 24-hour event, from noon to noon on April 15–16.

Giving Challenge funds support the everyday costs that make stability possible, including beds and bedding, home maintenance, birthday celebrations, and expanding our homes so more people can move out of homelessness.

Volunteer with us

No experience is required, training is provided, remote options are available, and time commitment is adaptable to your needs.

Volunteers help spread the word and invite others to give during the match.

Visit our Giving Challenge Giving Page on April 15th starting at noon.

The link is below for you to bookmark, share, and visit during the 24-hour event, from noon to noon on April 15–16.

Join us at the Downtown Sarasota Farmers Market for free Ben & Jerry’s ice cream as we connect with our community and spread the word about the Giving Challenge.

April 11th

Downtown Sarasota

From 7 AM to 1 PM
N. Lemon Ave, Sarasota, FL 34236

April 12th

Lakewood Ranch

From 10 AM to 2 PM

1561 Lakefront Dr, Lakewood Ranch, FL 34240

Whether you stop by for ice cream, lend a hand, or help us spread the word, you are part of making lasting change in our community.

Thank you, Atlas Insurance, for showing up in such a meaningful way as we prepare to open our newest homes.

Their team came out to support our two duplexes that will soon welcome 12 women moving from the streets into safe, supportive housing. This is more than just a new space; it’s a fresh start, a place to rest, to heal, and to begin again.

For the women who will walk through those doors next month, this moment represents something powerful: stability, dignity, and the chance for a different future.

We are deeply grateful to Atlas Insurance for being part of that journey and helping us create a place where new beginnings are possible.

We are so grateful to our partners at Church of Palms for organizing a donation drive to collect household essentials for our newest homes.

These items may seem simple, but they make a meaningful difference for the individuals we serve, creating comfort, dignity, and stability as they settle into permanent housing.



To everyone who contributed, thank you for showing such kindness and care to our community.

Join us at the flagship Ben & Jerry's store on St. Armand's Circle for Free Cone Day on April 14th.

372A Saint Armands Cir, Sarasota, FL 34236

between 12-8 PM

FlanzerTrust.org is matching donations up to $500 per household, per month, with a maximum of $3,000 annually!

Your individual donation of $5-$500 may be matched by the Louis & Gloria Flanzer Philanthropic Trust (Restrictions Apply)

Sign up now to double your impact.

Our mission is funded solely by individual contributions and private sector funding, intentionally without government support. This allows us to move people directly out of homelessness and into stable housing without barriers or delays.

You can also direct your Donor Advised Fund or make a check out to

Flanzer Trust with "Second Heart Homes" in the memo and mail it to:

1266 First Street, Suite 4, Sarasota, FL 34236

Join our monthly giving program or make a one-time gift

Online:

secondhearthomes.org/donate

By Mail:

Checks payable to:

Second Heart Homes Inc.

P.O. Box 3886

Sarasota, FL 34230

Tax-Efficient Giving:

Second Heart Homes accepts:

• Stock transfers (contact us to initiate)

• Donor Advised Funds (DAF

• IRA Contributions

EIN: 84-1848246

Planned Giving:

Consider leaving a planned gift to ensure our impact continues for generations to come. Your legacy can provide a future of hope and transformation.❤️

Questions? Call 941-201-9353

Have a Birthday or Anniversary Coming up?

Celebrate with purpose by inviting your friends and family to give in honor of your special day.

Include their address and we will send them a card letting them know you made a gift in their honor.

Tell a Friend

Our important mission grows when you share what is being done in our community to help the homeless.

Please share this email with a friend and help spread the word about our mission right here in Sarasota.

Have you ever seen someone experiencing homelessness and wanted to be part of a real, lasting solution?

We're hiring for a Development Position to help us strengthen and expand Second Heart Homes’ fundraising engine and impact.

Click Here to learn more

Together, we make a difference to so many.

We're grateful for all that we have and all that we are given.

Thank you for helping us change lives, one heart at a time.

All our love,

Megan Howell

Executive Director, Founder

Second Heart Homes, Inc.

March 2026